School bus operators in Singapore have been advised to be “reasonable” when seeking fare increases for off-site student transport services, as fuel price spikes triggered by the Middle East conflict continue to raise operating costs.
CNA reported that Singapore’s Education Ministry (MOE) said on April 17 that schools should “reasonably consider” requests from contracted transport providers to adjust fares for activities such as learning journeys, competitions and other off-site programmes.
MOE said the guidance aims to ensure that on-demand bus services remain sustainable so that school activities and students’ learning are not disrupted.
The ministry added that recent fuel cost surges were unforeseen, noting that many contracts were bid for before the escalation of the Middle East conflict on Feb 28.
“As the sudden spikes in fuel prices were unforeseen, transport operators may not have reasonably accounted for such increases when bidding for these contracts,” the ministry said.
The advisory comes as the government steps up temporary support measures for the sector. MOE previously announced it will co-fund around 13% of fare revenue for regular school bus operators from April to June to help offset higher fuel costs.
Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow also said in Parliament that the government will temporarily share cost increases for essential bus services, though he cautioned that fares may still need to rise if fuel prices remain elevated beyond the support period.
The broader surge in fuel costs linked to the Middle East conflict has pressured transport operators across Singapore, with industry players welcoming short-term relief but continuing to call for longer-term structural measures to ease operating burdens.
MOE said it will continue monitoring market conditions and issue further advisories to schools if needed.
